“Kritikal po sa pagpapatupad ng kahit anong programa sa inyong bayan ay ang suporta mula sa lokal na liderato (In any program implementation in your town, support from the local leaders is critical).”

That is how PRDP South Luzon Project Support Office (PSO) Director Shandy Hubilla emphasized the need for political will in PRDP implementation during the Project orientation for the fourth legislative district of Laguna on July 26.

Sixteen municipalities from the said district represented by its mayors, municipal agriculturists, engineers, and planning development officers attended the orientation held in Pangil, Laguna.

Dir. Arnel De Mesa, PRDP National Deputy Project Director and concurrent OIC Regional Executive Director of DA-RFO 4A, also stressed that the local government unit (LGU) is the main partner of the Department of Agriculture in the Project implementation.

He also showcased PRDP’s science-based tools used in ensuring the integrity of its sub-projects. “Because we want to make the Project transparent and accountable, so the Filipino people will be sure that we use its fund properly,” he said.

Representatives from the CALABARZON Regional Project Coordination Office, PSO and National Project Coordination Office discussed pre-implementation and implementation document requirements and processes such as project proposal preparation and review, drafting of Provincial Commodity Investment Plans (PCIPs) and Value Chain Analyses, infrastructure project identification, and geotagging among others.

“Marami pong nabibigyan ng oportunidad ang PRDP lalong-lalo na ang mahihirap na bayan at makatulong na ring mai-angat ang kabuhayan ng ating magsasaka (PRDP provides many opportunities especially to low-income municipalities to uplift our farmers’ lives),” Kalayaan, Laguna Municipal Planning Development Officer Juvy Ragas stated.

The multi-commodity PCIP of Laguna is based on dairy cattle, coffee, and coconut. Laguna currently has two I-BUILD or infrastructure development sub-projects in Luisiana and Cavinti. The province’s sole enterprise, the corn silage production in Calauan, is still in the preparation stage.

Being largely rural, agricultural enterprises serve as the said municipalities’ primary source of income.

PRDP is a six-year project designed to establish a modern, inclusive, value-chain oriented and climate-resilient agriculture and fisheries sector. With funding support from the World Bank, PRDP is implemented by the Department of Agriculture in partnership with local government units and farmers and fishers’ organizations.  ### (Lawrence Albert Bariring, DA-PRDP RPCO 4A InfoACE Unit)